Tag: The Front Bottoms

I’m back again with some of my favorite songs of 2016. I should warn that a good third of these weren’t even released in 2016, but I just really, really liked them this year. Also, most year end music lists tend to be a list of 10, but this is a list of 20 because, yes I do have commitment issues when it comes to music, and no it doesn’t need to be addressed because it’s just fine. 🙂

Devil Like Me // Rainbow Kitten Surprise (Jan. in FL is weird and kinda sad, but still good)

Harry Dean // SWMRS (The scream in the beginning !! I still love Cole Becker)

Brazil // Declan McKenna (I listened to this song exclusively for like a week straight lol)

I went and saw The Front Bottoms and Diet Cig last week, and I know I said previously that I had to rearrange my top concerts list after seeing SWMRS, but I had to do some more rearranging after this show. Diet Cig now sits at number two for stage performance and music, and The Front Bottoms rolled into the second place spot for how much they resonated with the crowd.

After sorting out the ever recurring issues with press and photo passes, (I know, I sound so awful and pretentious for complaining about “being on the list”, but there really were a lot of bumps in the road this time) I got inside and scouted out some good places to take photos, and the venue filled faster than any show I’ve ever been to. Diet Cig opened and immediately got everyone dancing and jumping around. Lead singer and guitarist, Alex Luciano, has some of the most fun and seemingly everlasting energy on stage; it’s extremely contagious.

I was most excited to see Diet Cig’s set, having recently fallen in love with their first EP Over Easy, and I can’t say enough how incredibly great they are live. I fell in love even more when Alex dedicated one of their new songs to the ladies and trans fans in the crowd. “This one is for all my girls out there, sweatin’ your highlighter off! And to all our trans friends too. Know we love and support you, because it’s hard to be marginalized!”

Before the Front Bottoms came out, the pit of the venue started filling, fast. People were packing themselves in so tight, and there was a line of people by both stairs, all trying to get down by the stage. The band walked out to some ballad that I’m pretty sure was from The Titanic, but someone needs to check me on that, I’ve only seen that movie once, maybe. Anyways, it was really funny, and the second they started playing the crowd went crazy.

I was thinking a lot about how the reason behind this show being as rowdy as it was. I came up with this: things got crazy because the entirety of the audience were angsty teens, nobody could have been over 25, tops. South Florida doesn’t have a whole lot to do, or a whole lot of places for the edgy and brooding youths of the area. So, when a good band comes to town, its a big deal, A) because there’s nothing else to do, and B) because not a lot of smaller/lesser know/not top 40 pop/indie/alt bands make it down here on tours. The kids put their whole beings into the singing, and moshing, and dancing, and crowd surfing at these shows, because they want it to be one to remember, for themselves and the bands. A riotous cry of “don’t forget about us down here in south Florida! We like good music too!”

The Front Bottoms closed out the show with a three song encore, finishing with “Twin Sized Mattress.” The members of the opener bands joined them on stage mid-song, dragging out instruments with them. A gorgeous mayhem ensued on stage and in the crowd to accompany the lyrics “I want to contribute to the chaos!” screamed by nearly everyone in the venue. It was kind of magic. Following is the full photo album from the show, enjoy!